WATCH: Yan Ziyi's massive throw to win gold in women's javelin event at Asian Games 2026
Yan Ziyi is rapidly becoming one of China’s finest young athletes.
China’s Yan Ziyi won gold in the women’s javelin throw at the Asian Games 2026 on Sunday, September 27, with a massive 70.46m.
The 18-year-old achieved this mark on her first attempt at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, setting a new Asian Games record.
Ziyi’s monstrous throw was the sixth-best in women’s javelin history. It also comfortably surpassed the previous Asian Games record of 66.09m, set by fellow Chinese athlete Liu Shiying at the Jakarta-Palembang 2018 Games.
Japan’s Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi had to settle for silver at the Aichi-Nagoya Games with 62.70m. Her compatriot, Sae Takemoto, won the bronze medal with a season-best throw of 62.15m.
Yan later admitted she did not expect to move so far ahead in the proceedings with her first effort, especially given the challenging rainy conditions in Nagoya during the event.
“My plan was to make my first two throws count. But I didn’t expect to reach that distance on my very first throw,” she said. “As an athlete who has competed in many meets and on the international stage, I think it’s very important to adapt to changing conditions.”
Yan Ziyi dominates javelin season
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Yan’s gold-winning outing at the Aichi-Nagoya Games capped off a wonderful season for the teenager. She catapulted herself to stardom by producing a huge 71.74m throw at the Diamond League meeting in Xiamen in May.
This remains her personal best and is the second-biggest throw of all time in women’s javelin, behind Czech Republic’s Barbora Špotáková’s world record of 72.28m. Her 71.74m effort is also a World U20, Asian, and national record.
Yan continued her winning run in the Diamond League, opening with a 67.11m throw at the Bislett Games in Oslo. She followed this up with a 67.44m throw in the first round to win the Meeting de Paris.
She also recorded 68.75m in the final round of the Herculis Diamond League meet held in Monaco in July. She then bested Kitaguchi at the Diamond League Final in Brussels in September, registering a 68.42m to win her maiden title.
The teenager also competed at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. Even though she had to retire after just two attempts, she still secured second place behind Kitaguchi.
How did Yan Ziyi perform at the Asian Games 2026?
She won gold in the women’s javelin throw at the Aichi-Nagoya Games with a record-breaking 70.46m throw.
What is Yan Ziyi’s personal best in javelin throw?
Her personal best is 71.74m, which she recorded at the Diamond League meeting in Xiamen in May 213, 2026.
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